Toke Makinwa, a popular On-Air Personality (OAP) and media personality, has come under fire from some Nigerians on social media for her attendance at the ongoing COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai.
Critics questioned her relevance at the global event, sparking a heated debate on the appropriateness of her inclusion.
Makinwa, in a tweet on Saturday, expressed her excitement about attending COP28 in Dubai and highlighted the significance of global leaders, royalty, climate change advocates, and industry leaders coming together to discuss environmental issues.
“When world leaders, Royalty, Climate change advocates and industry game changers gather to meet in Dubai to discuss how to save the planet, #Cop28 May your name be what the whole country decides to trend. (Amen). See you all at Cop30 in Rio Signed, Item number 7. #Cop28Dubai,” Makinwa tweeted.
However, critics on the X social media platform condemned her presence at the event, questioning her qualifications and relevance to climate change discussions. Some argued that the delegation from Nigeria lacked individuals with a genuine connection to climate-related issues.
One X user, Amasonic, criticized the composition of the Nigerian delegation to COP28, pointing out that several members, including Toke Makinwa, lacked a clear association with climate change.
Another user, Oldura, questioned the relevance of an OAP like Toke Makinwa to climate-related discussions, asking, “What’s your own with climate as an OAP? Does Nigeria have enough industries that affect the climate?”
While some defended Makinwa, praising her for attending the event, others blamed the Nigerian government for what they deemed frivolous expenditures and turning official events into leisure trips.
The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) is hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is scheduled to run from November 30 to December 12.